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Calorie Count

"A calorie is the unit used to measure the energy-producing value of food. There are four major sources of energy in food: carbohydrate, protein, fat, and alcohol. When burned (metabolized), they provide different amounts of energy. The calorie content of food depends on the amount it contains of carbohydrate, protein, fat, and alcohol. As you can see, fat is the most concentrated source of energy and yields more than twice as many calories per unit weight as carbohydrates and proteins."

• Carbohydrate = 4 calories per gram
• Protein = 4 calories per gram
• Alcohol = 7 calories per gram
• Fat = 9 calories per gram

How Many Calories Do You Need?

Calories contained in food are transformed into different kinds of working energy by metabolic reactions in the body: electrical for conduction of nerve impulses, mechanical for muscle contraction and movement, chemical for metabolic processes, and heat for maintenance of normal body temperature. Thus, two factors determine your calorie need.

1. “Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the energy needed to maintain your body's basic physiological functions at rest and level of physical activity.”
2. “Your calorie needs per day can be estimated based on your healthy body weight (HBW) and your activity level.”

Making Calories Count

"Fat is the most concentrated source of calories. Each gram of fat provides more than twice the number of calories as a gram of carbohydrate or protein. Nutrition information is often listed in grams, but you can use the values listed above to estimate the calorie value of any food. Simply multiply the grams of each source by the number of calories per gram. Then by adding these numbers together, you can determine the total calories in an item."

For example, the calorie content of a piece of apple pie is 309 total calories and it contains 45 grams per piece of carbohydrate, 3 grams per piece of protein, 13 grams per piece of fat and 0 grams per piece of alcohol. This formula can help you determine your calories per energy source:

• Grams per piece X Calories per gram = Calories
  • Carbohydrate: 45 grams X 4 calories per gram = 180 calories
  • Protein: 3 grams X 4 calories per gram = 12 calories
  • Fat: 13 grams X 9 calories per gram = 117 calories
  • Alcohol: 0 grams X 0 calories per gram = 0 calories

Then the percentage of calories made up from the energy source (carbohydrate, protein, fat, or alcohol) can be determined by taking the calculated calories for the source divided by the total calories.

• Calories (of carbohydrate, protein, fat, or alcohol)/total calories in food = %
  • Carbohydrate: 180 calories/309 calories = 58%
  • Protein: 12 calories/309 calories = 4%
  • Fat : 117 calories/309 calories = 38%
  • Alcohol: 0 calories/309 calories = 0%

"This piece of pie contains 309 calories. But, the total number of calories provides only part of a food item’s calorie profile. It is also important to examine the proportions of fat, carbohydrate, and protein. For example, the piece of pie derives 58% of its calories from carbohydrate (the majority of these are simple carbohydrates from sugar), 38% from fat, and 4% from protein. Besides being high in sugar, this piece of pie also contains a large amount of fat."

Recommended Calorie Distribution

To meet your body’s nutritional needs and decrease your chances of developing chronic disease, experts suggest that your total daily calories be distributed as follows:

• Carbohydrate 45-65%
• Protein 10-35%
• Fat 20-35%

How Many Calories Do I Need?

"To maintain energy and a stable weight, the number of calories you eat must equal the number of calories you expend. The number of calories you expend depends on your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and your activity level. Your BMR is affected by multiple factors such as: genetics, age, sex, and height (things you can’t change), and body composition and activity level (things you can change). There are many formulas to estimate your calorie needs. The formula below is based on the healthy body weight (HBW) for your height. Individuals who are very athletic may have higher healthy body weights and calorie needs due to their greater muscle mass."

Estimated Calorie Needs Per Day to Maintain Your Current Weight:

To just meet your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) = HBW x 10
To meet your BMR and:

• A sedentary lifestyle (i.e., you sit all day) = HBW x 13
• Light activity (i.e., you walk around campus) = HBW x 15
• Moderate activity (i.e., you exercise 60 min. 4-5 times per week) = HBW x 17
• Heavy activity (i.e., you are an athlete) = HBW x 20

Use our calculator to determine your healthy body weight